Can the Chiefs Turn It Around? Mahomes Calls for Teamwide Excellence Amid Tight Playoff Push
As the Kansas City Chiefs march toward a potential historic third consecutive Super Bowl title, quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a clear message for his team: they must play better. Despite securing a playoff berth with a narrow 19-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Mahomes acknowledged that the Chiefs are far from their best football.
“We just hold ourselves to such a high standard that we don’t feel like we’re playing our best football altogether,” Mahomes told reporters after the game. “It seems like every game, it’s either the offense does good, or the defense does good—kind of vice-versa. We’ve got to find a way to play great as an entire team.”
While Kansas City continues to rack up wins, their performance has been anything but dominant. The Chiefs are now 9-0 in one-score games this season, with their last four victories decided by a combined seven points.
This has helped them maintain an 11-1 record, but they remain just 11th in the NFL in point differential—far from the type of statistics you expect from a Super Bowl contender.
A Lucky Run or a Championship Formula?
The Chiefs’ ability to win close games has certainly been impressive, but as Mahomes pointed out, relying on clutch moments and individual brilliance won’t cut it in the playoffs. While the team has been fortunate at times, their performance needs to improve if they are to continue their Super Bowl pursuit. This season has seen a slight dip in Mahomes’ usually exceptional play—he hasn’t been quite as sharp as in previous years. Still, even in a “down year,” Mahomes is more than capable of making big plays when it matters most, particularly with his talented supporting cast.
His longtime tight end Travis Kelce, the newly added wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and running back Isiah Pacheco—fresh off a broken fibula—give the Chiefs plenty of firepower. But inconsistency across the board has kept them from hitting their full potential.
Defensive Strengths, but Room for Improvement
Defensively, the Chiefs remain a solid unit, anchored by linebacker Nick Bolton and defensive lineman Chris Jones. However, their pass rush has been underwhelming this season, with just 24 sacks through 12 games—far from the dominant force we’ve come to expect from Kansas City’s defense. In the playoffs, against high-powered AFC offenses, this weakness could prove to be a significant vulnerability.
That being said, the defense has held its ground enough to keep the Chiefs in nearly every game. Head coach Andy Reid and his coaching staff have guided this team with steady hands, and their ability to adapt will be crucial as the regular season winds down.
A Tough Road Ahead
Despite their struggles, the Chiefs are still very much in the hunt for a third Super Bowl title. But the road ahead is far from easy. Four of their final five regular-season games are against teams that are currently in the AFC playoff picture. The lone exception is the Cleveland Browns, who have pulled off some significant upsets this season, including wins over playoff-bound teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
If Kansas City hopes to make a serious playoff push, they’ll need to clean up their play and become a more complete team. Mahomes, Reid, and the rest of the squad know that in the postseason, there’s little room for error. But if the Chiefs can iron out their inconsistencies and tap into their full potential, they’re still very much in contention for another championship run.
For now, Mahomes and the Chiefs are focused on taking things one game at a time. “Our goal is to get to that Super Bowl,” Mahomes said. “So, we’re going to try to continue to get better and better so that we’re playing our best football hopefully by the end of the year.”
But as each close call adds pressure, the question remains: Will the defending champions find their rhythm in time for another deep playoff run, or will their luck run out? Only time will tell.
